Lighting systems may use one or more optical lenses to direct light from a light source in a particular direction. Such lighting systems are used in a variety of light applications including, but not limited to, headlamps for use in vehicles. Many lighting systems are subject to regulations which govern, inter alia, installation requirements, test procedures, design guidelines, and performance requirements. Such regulations for headlamps include, but are not limited to regulations described in Department of Transportation (DOT) 49 C.F.R. § 571.108 (Transportation).
Some automotive lighting systems provide smart lighting technologies that use adaptive front lighting systems (AFS) to selectively dim regions of the lamp's field of illumination. However, a known AFS system relies on complex solutions of optics having, in each of the two headlamp modules that together make up one headlight, three separate glass lenses, of differing indices of refraction, which are stacked axially in carefully spaced relation to one another in front of two side-by-side chips each of the type marketed under the name Eviyos (1024 LEDs/chip) by Osram Opto, thus totaling 6 glass lenses and 4 Eviyos chips per headlight. To achieve correct focus, the three glass lenses are manufactured from high-quality material and are therefore expensive. As a result, despite the safety benefits of these smart/adaptive front lighting systems, this technology is primarily limited to expensive models of vehicles.
Vehicle lamp lens cover designs with integrated grilles are known in U.S. Design Pat. D721,201 (Egly & King) and D721,454 (King & Egly) (hereinafter the “Egly lens covers”). The Egly lens covers have grille portions extending over portions of their exterior to evoke the aesthetic look resulting from the combination of previously known separate protective grille covers sold as aftermarket items that are attached exteriorly over a vehicle lamp to protect the lamp from impact. The Egly grille portions do not extend between the light receiving surface of the lens and the exterior, light emission side to physically separate the lens into separate and distinct optical components. Due to the placement and small and/or slender size of the Egly grille portions, a person of ordinary skill in the headlamp art understands that these grille portions cannot substantially obstruct light exiting from any regions of the lens. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill understands that the vehicle lamps with the Egly grille portions do not include an imaging lens.